My Guardian Angel
by PhantomKat7
Summary: In her quest to stop Mew and Celebi from gaining power, Jirachi falls. As she does, Mark Antony, a sergeant killed in the middle of the great Region War, rises, unknowingly destined to be her guardian angel. Even if he doesn’t want to.
1. To Know Your Place

A/N: Okay, I have been planning this story for a very long time now, and so I'm very anxious and excited to post this. ^.^ This is mainly action, adventure, and supernatural, but there will be hints of romance here and there. Any comments and critique is welcomed!

Note: This story features most of the Legendary Pokémon. If the Legends are not your cup of tea, I suggest you don't read.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.

* * *

My Guardian Angel

Book One: Threads

Chapter 1: To Know Your Place

Against the black backdrop of the sky, shards of fine, crystalline ice flew from the passing comet and showered the night. The Hoenn air thrummed and vibrated as the colossal boulder of heated stone fell from space and into a deserted field off the coast of Gulf Kaiorga. The garnet trail of fire that had streaked across the sky and made the luminescent stars hazy flickered and eventually went out as the comet sizzled and cooled off in the ten-foot crater of charred earth and grass it had created.

Curious Taillow flew from the canopies of the trees that dotted the vast meadow to inspect this oddity. Were Pokémon fighting, and this giant stone was the result of one of their attacks? Or were humans invading their home from above? They crowded around the massive rock, flat, yellow beaks to one side as they cocked their heads in interest. Their ruby chests and necks seemed to glisten with the strange, ethereal glow the copper comet emitted. Navy feathers began to puff out; forked tails twitched anxiously. This rock was strange, foreign… alien. The dozens of birds looked at each other with wide, jet-black eyes. Was investigating this weird object such a good idea?

_CRACK!_

The foot-tall Pokémon jumped into the air with ear-shattering shrieks. Even their high-pitched wails of fright, however, weren't shrill or loud enough to drown out the series of cracks that splintered the air. Now high in the air, they checked the comet with panicky glances. On the boulder, they saw spider-web cracks that widened and grew until, eventually, slabs of rock began to split and fall to the ground. The air around the comet morphed from uncomfortably warm into the blistering heat that had consumed it when it was in flight. More animalistic screeches were let out as most of the Tiny Swallow Pokémon high-tailed it back to their safe nests. Those who lingered behind finally took flight when a teal-colored tentacle wiggled free from the meteor's core.

Soon, a ruby one joined in on the dance for freedom. Next, a green hand popped out. Together, the tentacles and the hand grasped either side of the comet, desperate to destroy the prison that still trapped the body they were attached to. Pulling as one, they caused the rock to grunt until, with a Herculean effort, the comet was split into two. Steam immediately rose when the core of the meteor, brimming with heat, was exposed to the Pokémon World's cool air and breeze. The fog was blown away, though, when the creature inside rose into the air and greeted this new planet with pinprick pupils. His blue-green, oval head swiveled this way and that. The two trapezoid-shaped ears he bore were perked and alert. When it was clear that there was nothing around (other than the quivering foliage of trees), the alien landed outside the crater with thin and spindly legs. Deoxys, as he had always dubbed himself, looked down and quizzically felt the carpet of greenery. How strange, was his thought. Deoxys looked back at what had been his home for the past three years. The meteor looked just like how his asteroid home had after that nearby star collapsed: broken and empty. However, he was alive; he had survived, and maybe this strange, new rock could replace his home, even if its ground was soft and its stars weren't so bright and close.

The space dweller turned away from the cold pieces of stone at the bottom of the crater, the amethyst sphere in his chest reflecting the dying embers of his home, and began to rise into the air. With one last look at the field he had disturbed, Deoxys began to fly north, not knowing where he was going but positive that he could find somewhere to rest and recharge.

For a long while, all he passed were forests teeming with Pokémon and more vacant fields. Once or twice, he stopped to inspect the creatures until they were scared enough to run back to their homes. They fascinated him, made him want to explore more. He had always been the only living thing in his small asteroid. Interacting with others, even if it was merely a "greet and run," made him feel a bit less lonely.

It wasn't until he stumbled upon a village that his interest was truly piqued. Dozens of quaint wooden houses were spread along the area, most of them sporting fences that surrounded them and their acres of land. The dirt-paved roads were empty at this time of night, the windows of the houses dark. When he flitted around, he saw more of those Pokémon creatures huddled in the small, rectangular barns behind some of the houses. Although he saw some feathery creatures of orange asleep in wired coops outside the barns and chocolate-colored puffballs that sported two dozing heads near the rooftops, what really made him stop and stare were the pink creatures huddled in the middle of the fenced field. Plump and round, they were sleeping peacefully and unaware of the chilly gust that swept their home. Occasionally, the wind would make their long tails move, causing the bells at the ends to tremble a short tune before they went quiet again. Stray leaves would also pass and snag themselves on the two, small horns that protruded from each head; their four udders would wobble with each snore. Despite all of that, they slept on with no idea that a curious alien was creeping towards them.

Deoxys descended into the swaying, canary-yellow crops on the other side of the Miltank herd, hesitant about coming any closer. Unlike the other Pokémon he had encountered, these were asleep, and he could observe them for a while if he was careful. He didn't want to scare the bovine off by just popping in.

Twin tentacles began to move the stalks of grain aside…

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," echoed a voice.

Small pupils darted to the right and left until the foreign being figured out the words had come from behind him. Deoxys whirled around, tentacles and hand poised at his sides. Eyes narrowed as he saw the newcomer lazily float in the air. Yes, he was curious about what this foot-tall creature was, but anybody who managed to sneak up behind him was dangerous, as dangerous as those collapsing stars. The more he watched the bipedal, salmon-pink Pokémon hover in front of his face, the less curious and more alert he became. The crop stalks hardly moved when the creature's long tail brushed against them, and those celestial blue eyes would never leave him, even when the stranger's small and pointed ears twitched to some faraway sound. Not even he, Deoxys, could be so silent and stealthy.

Finally, after an eternity of black and blue eyes locked together, the furry creature spoke. "Now that I have gotten your attention, let me introduce myself; I am Mew, one of the great Arceus' oldest children."

Mew swept one of his short arms in a bow before straightening up again. Deoxys cocked his head, managing to understand the deity's words but still confused as to why he was here. Mew floated in closer, his cerulean gaze no longer so humble. The wind that had blessed the farm seemed to still until all Deoxys could feel was the psychic's presence; even the Miltank's chiming bells could no longer be heard.

"Since your landing on our planet, you have been watched by unseen eyes," the New Species Pokémon breathed, then grinned when he saw Deoxys' eyes widen in shock. Mew backed up but still kept his satisfied smirk; his tail curled around him, as though it was a snake slithering around its master. "We don't know how things work where you come from, but we have an order here, one that you now must follow if you plan to stay."

Deoxys, though able to understand Mew's speech after analyzing the language the Pokémon he met in the forest spoke, could not speak Pokémon tongue. Instead, he slipped out of his defensive position and inclined his head, showing he understood. Where else was he supposed to go if he was run out of this planet? He was not sure his body could endure another long trip through space. Luck had been on his side; no meteor showers or passing asteroids had hit him. What if his luck had been spent?

The pink pixie widely smiled a smile of superiority. "The Council of Legends will be glad to hear you've agreed to listen."

Then, Mew flew up, high above the now swaying crops. Deoxys followed the Psychic-type's movements with his eyes until Mew motioned with a flick of his tail for him to do the same. Cautiously, the alien floated up and joined the god at his side. Once again, Deoxys got the feeling of every living thing freezing to make Mew's powerful presence known.

"Do you see the mountain range in the horizon?" Mew asked, almost ethereally with the absense of a breeze.

The ruby and aquamarine creature craned his head to see the ridges of brown, but a steady glow of lights on the other side of the mountains caught his eye. They bathed part of the night sky a milky-white, seemingly unwavering. Deoxys started in mid-air. Was that a star? By the blinding light that surrounded it, it looked liked it was about to collapse.

Deoxys began to back up, only to be stopped by a force he couldn't see. Limbs paralyzed and the orb in his chest dimming, Mew faced him and disapprovingly shook his head. His eyes, brimming with the psychic energy he wielded so easily, never left his face as he circled the trapped creature.

"No, no, none of that," he scolded in a condescending manner, unaware of Deoxys' worries. Gazing back at the mountainous range before them, he continued to tell his captive, "There are a multitude of caves that you can hide in while the Council of Legends decides where to place you. You'll be safe from humans, and there are no Pokémon in the mountains who will be able to bypass the shields I will place."

A series of unintelligible squeaks and screeches broke the quiet: Deoxys was trying to verbally communicate his protests since his body could not. Doduo began to stir from where they roosted. Miltank softly mooed, questioning why their sleep was being disturbed. Now sporting a deeply-etched frown, Mew snapped his fingers; Deoxys's mouth was shut with an audible snap. In a deep crevice of his mind, Mew could imagine Arceus reprimanding him for being so harsh to this queer being. However, he didn't care at the moment. The fact that a less powerful creature was disobeying his orders made him grind his teeth in anger.

With his tail now whipping around his frame like a hissing Arbok, Mew narrowed his eyes and took hold of one of Deoxys' frozen tentacles.

"I guess you will have to be taken there," he sighed, as though forced to talk to a disobedient child. Mew shut his eyes in concentration, and right after he felt his power bubbling and coursing through both of them, their images flickered and disappeared with a twinkle of light.

Deoxys sensed that he was tumbling and turning. Head spinning, he felt himself being compressed from many different directions, making him struggle for each breath. With his vision dark and his body still immobile, he could do nothing but stumble and fall into a heap when his frozen feet touched ground. Being roughly pulled up, Deoxys suddenly regained his mobility and vision. Immediately, without even taking a glance at the cave they had materialized in, the asteroid dweller flew away from Mew. His whole body still quivered from the deity's psychic energy, a chilling reminder of how powerful Mew was, despite his childish appearance. The way Deoxys backed up to the rocky wall of the cave actually made his kidnapper chuckle.

"_This_ is where you stay, for now," the furry psychic said nonchalantly, indicating the damp walls, the stalactite-infested ceiling, and the stalagmite-covered floor. Deoxys looked around but was unable to see more than the dripping points of the structures through the blanket of darkness. He had lived on an asteroid, where stars and moons always bathed his home in a veil of light; why was this creature putting him in such a polar-opposite place? As anxious as he was, though, Deoxys was no fool, so he chose to stay quiet, merely breathing in the stale, unmoving air that suffocated him.

"I'll come back to announce what our verdict is." Mew, invisible in the blackness, faced the direction the cave entrance was located at. Deoxys stared blankly at where he assumed his kidnapper was, then jumped back when a trail of glowing violet appeared a couple of feet away. The tendril of power avoided the rocky outcroppings with ease until it rounded a bend and disappeared a second later. A glimmer of light that stopped to steadily let out a sheen of fuchsia told Deoxys that the barrier Mew had mentioned was in place.

"Stay here," were the final words he heard before, just like that, he was left in his grim prison.

_____

Even when Mew Teleported into Arceus' Chamber, the biggest and most elaborate room in the Hall of Origin, and let out a disgruntled sigh, not a sound could be heard. The Species Pokémon gazed at the moon-white walls and the granite pillars that stretched thirty-feet high to connect with the sloped dome that was the ceiling. Already he felt the dampness and decay of the cave fade away to become a distant memory in his mind. With the light that shone from the curved windows of the ceiling warming his fur, the ancestor of all Pokémon floated beyond the six pillars in front of him (the ones that formed a circle in the middle of the room) and into the center of the chamber, where the golden outline of a star invaded a part of the smooth, limestone floor.

Immediately, he heard the clicking of talons and the flap of wings from up above. Ho-Oh and Lugia, perched on two of the six pillars that did not connect with the ceiling, let their conversation die to gaze at him, silver and rainbow-colored feathers glimmering as they craned their heads. Celebi jumped down from on top of a pillar and became a blur of emerald as she descended towards the floor in a lazy spiral. The small hedgehog that was Shaymin wrinkled her nose when the pixie of time fluttered too close for comfort and scurried towards Cresselia, who was floating beside her grim counterpart, Darkrai. Jirachi shook her head with a small smile and went over to comfort Manaphy, who had been frightened by Celebi's dizzying antics.

Of course, no matter how many Legendaries there were in the room, the pixie of ancestry could never ignore the great god in the center. With his flowing silver fur putting the polished walls to shame, their ten-foot-tall father was automatically the center of attention.

_Then again,_ Mew thought, _his spinning, golden wheel that encircles his waist and the four jades on each point always seem to magnify his majestic features._

"Arceus," Mew addressed the Alpha Pokémon when he halted in mid-air. He gave a bow and held it, allowing him a view of the god's pointed, topaz hooves. "I talked to the alien, as you requested."

Every member of the Council of Legends drew in closer, their breaths hushed.

Was this strange creature a danger to Johto if he was allowed to stay? Lugia and Ho-Oh thought as one.

Was this alien powerful enough to possibly become a Legend? Celebi thought with a deep scowl on her face. The prospect of ruling alongside one who wasn't even a Pokémon was a sour one.

Could this foreigner possibly take advantage of the weaker creatures in this world? Cresselia wanted to know.

"Please, do not jump to conclusions," their quadruped leader calmly told them. As their father, he could feel their agitated thoughts, their worries, and immediate mistrust as though they were his own. His children relaxed though still shared meaningful glances. When it was clear their minds were relatively silent, Arceus returned to Mew. "What have you observed?"

The Kanto pixie straightened and said with a hint of boredom, "This alien is like a human child: curious and lost. He doesn't seem too intelligent or resourceful." Mew inclined his head to the side, a frown now stretched taut over his face; he was clearly frustrated that he didn't have Deoxys completely figured out. "Power wise, it's hard to tell. Even when my Psychic immobilized him, I could not delve into his mind to see how powerful this creature is. If I was able to, I might have also been able to decipher his strange language. I did manage to catch the name "Deoxys" very briefly through telepathy, however." With a final sigh, Mew was done.

Not a minute had stretched of silence before Lugia spread his three-tipped wings and descended carefully to the ground. His long tail swished back and forth in his anxiousness, the two navy-colored spikes at the end threatening to send Shaymin and Jirachi flying. "We cannot allow this creature, this "Deoxys," to stay," he gruffly voiced. His coal-black eyes glittered with determination, and the two rows of blue spikes along his back were raised. Craning his long and elegant neck, he saw Ho-Oh, still on the pillar, nodding in agreement. "To underestimate his power is foolish. Who's to say he's not masking his abilities? Johto can lie in ruins if we're too proud and dismiss the possibility."

Cresselia came forward, the violet, celestial rings attached to her sloped back and arms shining while the twin crescents on either side of her head glowed like stars against the sky. Raising her yellow beak towards the Johto trio masters, she nodded to them before saying, "Lugia and Ho-Oh make a convincing argument. By disregarding this otherworldly being solely on Mew's account, Pokémon and humans alike will be endangered. If we force Deoxys to return to space, we can avoid any possible catastrophes."

Arceus acknowledged her words with a bow of his own head, then saw that the shadows next to him shivered and moved. He gracefully moved to let Darkrai have the floor. The Pitch-Black Pokémon let his forest-green orbs sweep over the Council of Legends, as though they all opposed his unspoken thoughts, then focused on Cresselia. The ruby spikes around his neck bristled ever so slightly; the billowing white shadows on his head lengthened. "Should we run out Deoxys, without evidence that he's the monster you're speculating, simply because he could endanger the humans?" Darkrai sent a sharp glare towards Lugia and Ho-Oh, the tattered edges of his body wildly flapping with unseen wind. "Wasn't it humans who destroyed the Tin Tower? Isn't it humans who pollute the lakes that Suicune purifies?"

Ho-Oh flapped her garnet wings so hard that the emerald tips threatened to fall. Like a flaming phoenix, the Rainbow Pokémon landed on the chamber's floor. With golden tail feathers fanned out behind her, Ho-Oh regarded the nightmare creator with a steely, amber gaze. "Do not drag your past into Council affairs, Darkrai! You know perfectly well you were banished from Alamos Town due to your own nightmare-spreading frenzy."

Fisting his hands, the Sinnoh Legendary growled, "You seem to forget that at the time there had been a hallucination-inducing sickness spreading. My nightmares were simply amplified, although it seems that humans and you neglect to take their epidemic into account."

Shaymin hopped closer to the center but was unable to ask her brethren to cease their feuding. As powerful as she was, to be looked down upon by the others, especially those already with heated tempers, made her lime-green fur and the lilac flower nestled among it shake. The Gratitude Pokémon turned her white snout towards Arceus, but the god merely stood back and watched his children settle it out. Manaphy beside her also stayed back and settled for twirling her antennae with her flippers and watching the ends glow. The blood-red gem on her cerulean abdomen flickered, meaning she was unsure about what to do about the quarrels as well.

"Shouldn't we consider the fact that Deoxys could be capable of intelligent conversation? That we may be able to understand him?"

Jirachi floated to the scene, much to Shaymin's relief. Long, butterscotch-yellow tassels fluttered behind her small gray body as she rose into the air and faced her quarreling brothers. "Is it really fair to choose Deoxys's faith for him if he is able to communicate?" The wish granter turned when someone slightly scoffed, making the two teal wish tags on her star-shaped head flutter.

Celebi, who had been silent behind Mew until now, came forward. The cerulean-tipped antennae in his swept, green hair bobbed with his scornful chuckles. Delicate filmy wings flittered as the time traveler joined the Council. "Jirachi, tell me if I have missed your point completely," hints of sarcasm were evident in his tone and in his china-blue eyes, "but exactly what would the Pokémon world gain if we let this creature stay? Even the weakest Pokémon have something to contribute. This Deoxys hasn't shown a speck of usefulness, yet you are offering to let him _choose_ his position in the matter?"

The Hoenn Legendary frowned for only a second before composing herself. "What I'm merely saying, Celebi, is that we should not judge Deoxys's mental capacity without a second thought to the matter. Yes, he may not seem resourceful, powerful, or useful now, but by observing him longer, we may come to a sensible and thought-out conclusion-"

"Is that what you really want, Jirachi?" barked Ho-Oh, the golden feather crest on her head bouncing with each harsh word. "Do you really want to let Deoxys stay long enough for him to be able to show what's he capable of? At what cost would that be? Destroyed towns? Interference with weather patterns? Possible time rips? All for the sake of deciding whether he can stay or not?" Lugia brushed his wing against his counterpart's to sooth her sizzling temper.

"No, it is not," the Wish Pokémon responded curtly. Jirachi tiredly rubbed the top point of her head, the only point that did not harbor a wish tag, and looked over at Arceus. She respected his decision in keeping out of Council matters (other than giving the final verdict in decisions), but she wished that he would assert his authority over his children more often. Maybe that way, Council meetings would not turn into battles of self-interest and prejudice.

"We cannot endanger the Pokémon and human populace merely to welcome in a curious alien," the Time Travel Pokémon drawled. "It is, after all, our duty to protect this world."

Shaymin growled beneath her breath as Jirachi, taken aback at her sister's cynicism, formed an uncharacteristic scowl and began to say, "We are not welcoming anybody, yet we are not supposed to rightly refuse someone a chance to establish themselves on Earth."

"Our duties don't always allow us to be fair with everybody," Mew replied loudly so that his voice echoed against the pristine walls of the chamber for everybody to hear. Calm and cool, he hovered beside Celebi and continued, only the slightly narrowing of his eyes betraying his kind façade, "We must put Earth and its inhabitants first and foremost in all of our decisions, not outsiders. You cannot allow kindn…"

The Kanto Legendary trailed off. His whip-like tail stiffened when a horrendous chill ran down his spine. Small ears flew back at the same time Mew let an undignified snarl rise from his throat. Dismissing Jirachi with a mental flap of his hand, he faced Arceus, bowed, and said with a hint of a growl, "My barrier has been shattered. Deoxys has escaped."

Arceus nodded once, his jade eyes troubled.

_____

Panic made Deoxys' heart flutter in his chest. Though knowing he shouldn't, the alien looked back.

Amethyst glittered all over the cave mouth he had just left, remnants of the barrier that had kept him prisoner. Rocks had turned to pebbles and pebbles to dust before he had managed to exert all his power and escape. Was he tired? Deoxys wasn't sure. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and kept him flying farther away from the ocher mountain range. Yes, he was out, but did that mean he was in the clear? He bet his tentacles that he wasn't.

Water had stretched below him, calm and undisturbed, but now, a mass of land took its place, along with a flare of bright, and familiar, light. Deoxys halted and let out some frightened calls that pierced the air. He had been so hell-bent on escaping the cave before Mew could notice, so afraid he would be taken again, that he hadn't noticed he had been flying right into the heated star that was ready to implode. Frozen with fear and indecision, he looked back at the mountain range then towards the halo of light that seemed to touch the dark sky. The double-edged sword loomed in his mind's eye, spinning and spinning close. Would getting incinerated be better than whatever Mew had in store for him?

Deoxys chanced a look below him, automatically squinting to see through the blinding glare. Were those creatures moving down there? Moving in the core of a boiling star? Despite every nerve of his body telling him to fly the opposite way, Deoxys inched closer; he faintly noticed that he didn't feel the heat of the celestial light. Yes, there _were_ creatures moving around the rectangular, silver protrusions of the star! The space dweller felt his mind flip in shock. How was it possible?

Suddenly, Deoxys was propelled backwards by an invisible gust. Flipping before stopping when the shock of the hit dwindled, he steadied himself and wildly looked around for his attacker. He caught sight of a green serpent, its blood-red fangs bared and the yellow rings adorning its spiked body glowing with rage, before another Air Slash nicked him in the abdomen and sent him spinning downward. Rayquaza, ruler of Hoenn's skies, clenched his three-clawed hands and followed his target. His spade tail swished as he stopped himself in mid-descend; an aurora had appeared in the night sky.

As the otherworldly lights of purple and pink danced alongside the stars, Deoxys began to change, the sphere in his chest going out. His tentacles and hands thickened into slabs as thick as his body but as flexible as his first limbs. Spindly legs bulged as his chest and head hardened and grew until the alien was encased in a suit of red and green armor. The violet orb flared to life and was ready to serve its Master's Defense Forme.

Rayquaza snorted in indignation, the emerald plates on his body spinning while the twin, flat-ended spikes on his head twitched. "You dare trespass in my domain, no doubt to attack the fair city of LaRousse, and then mock me by putting on disguises?" he roared, fire-yellow eyes on the verge of smoldering. All twenty-three-feet of him bristled as he reared and let loose a torrent of sapphire energy.

Deoxys shielded his body with his broad arms. Specks of burning blue and white showered his head. While he closed his eyes and felt the specks burning his face, his arms unpleasantly tingled. Ignoring the smell of charred skin, Deoxys endured the last of the Dragon Pulse before beginning to flee towards the city. The Sky High Pokémon snarled at the sight and flicked his tail. A gust picked up around him, its chilly breeze doing nothing to cool his out-of-control temper, and with another slap of his tail, it was sent cantering towards the scared foreigner.

Deoxys felt himself be picked up by the Twister, then tossed around as the currents grew faster and stronger, eventually merging into walls of spiraling white that never let him go. The captive, curled into a protective ball, saw from the center of the twenty-foot-high funnel a blur of green coming his way; those electric eyes, already envisioning him at the bottom of the ocean, left him with no doubt.

He was going to have to fight for his freedom.

Tendrils of fuchsia wove through the threads of night a second time. Deoxys' bulky arms thinned into two tentacles while his head lengthened back into an aerodynamic spike. Chest and legs were now thinner and raven-black. His jewel began to glow and power his Speed Forme.

Tentacles whipped about his head, too fast to be effected by the violent gusts that swirled all around him. Then his body began to spin in unison and against the Twister's current. The wind fluctuated and began to unweave itself from the tight cone it had shaped. Wobbling as though on a shaking spindle, the Twister collapsed and thinned out until only wisps of air caressed Deoxys' face. Seeing the trespasser close his eyes for a second of bliss made the dragon's blood boil. With a malicious grin, he slithered towards the morphing creature and clamped down his midnight-black jaws…

On nothing.

The serpent started, and calculating eyes searched the sky for the red menace. Before Rayquaza could draw a breath, tentacles were wrapped and tightened around his windpipe. Deoxys straddled himself on the beast's neck and refused to let go. The deity roared in anger and haphazardly flew around to try and buck the alien. With the wind beating his face, Deoxys flipped forward, his grip on the Legendary still strong. Infuriated eyes narrowed into slits when Rayquaza found Deoxys now sitting on his snout.

"You cowardly little-!"

Then all the hot-blooded Flying-type could see was stars, his head ringing from the Zen Headbutt that had cut off his rant. Deoxys reared back in pain, cringing and mentally cursing himself for not realizing that a recoil was obvious when he was so close to Rayquaza. Magenta sparks still dancing around his head, the Psychic-type flew high into the air and looked down, then quickly regretted it.

The speedy alien looked away, but it did not clear the horrible image that had assaulted his eyes. With fangs alight with the aurora above, he saw them for all their ganet glory. Their points, sharpened into non-existent ends, had been dripping with saliva as thick as the fury in his horrible, golden eyes.

_BAM!_

With the Scary Face still etched into his mind, Deoxys felt himself falling. As gravity took him to the unforgivable ocean below, pain wove its way through his chest. The sticky, neon-green liquid that was his blood sluggishly dripped down from the slash on his neck and down towards the cracked gem in his chest. Deoxys raised a tentacle to the orb, feeling its energy dim, spreading weakness and exhaustion throughout his body. Not daring to touch the throbbing wound that wound around his throat, he struggled to stop his descent, forcing his eyes to stay open and scout for his enraged foe.

There he was, circling above him like a vulture at high noon. Fangs were split into a satisfied smirk as Rayquaza watched the outsider steady himself. That expression screamed that he wouldn't be let go, not until ten thousand leagues separated Deoxys from the sky. Green and garnet tentacles twitched with mixed emotions. On top of fearing for his life, he was outraged that everybody on this planet wanted to control him, subdue him. Was he being here such an enormous inconvenience? Or were they all simply trying to eliminate any outside competition they saw in order to keep whatever hierarchy of power they had in this planet intact?

It didn't matter. He had traveled for light years, through forming galaxies and asteroid belts, in order to find a place he could call home.

This place was it, and he wasn't going to be forced back into space, to be cold and alone, by this _beast_!

Extremespeed propelled him towards the snake that dared run him from his home. The wind that had whistled with his fall went silent until he no longer felt a breeze. His beating heart, Rayquaza's breathing, all had disappeared in the vacuum his attack created. Even the tremendous _thump_! that reverberated when the Dragon-type was sent flying had been totally muffled. When Deoxys did stop, the black that surrounded him returned to be the night sky. The gentle lap of waves returned, followed by his enemy's now labored breathing. So riled up he was that it took him a moment to realize that shimmering, broken dragon scales were raining down.

By that time, the silhouette of Arceus caught his eye. Hidden behind a haggard and fuming Rayquaza, he came towards Deoxys with the calm aura that made the asteroid dweller lower his writhing appendages. As effortlessly as though he had wings instead of hooves, the Alpha Pokémon hovered between the two beings.

"That outsider should be punished!" spat the sky ruler. Although hunched up to stop the aching on his bruised side, he still bared his fangs and narrowed his eyes with every word. "How dare he come upon LaRousse with his evil intentions. If not for me-!"

"You," his creator cut in, authority ringing in that single word, "should have been with the rest of the Council, as I had asked. Ruler of the heavens you may be, your duties as a Legendary are just as important. Besides, Groudon and Kyogre can guard Hoenn for the time you are gone."

Arceus flew towards Deoxys, glancing from the rivulets of green blood that ran down the side of his neck to the lithe body that had managed to stand against Rayquaza's own.

"If you choose to stay here, you must obey the laws of our world. Though it's still not certain whether you will be allowed to make your home on Earth, I will lead you to a place where you may rest and live away from the rest of the Pokémon. Foreigner you may be, you do not deserve this hostility."

_"Home on Earth… rest of the Pokémon…"_

Deoxys stared then nodded numbly. The aurora above LaRousse faded away when he morphed back to his Normal Forme. Maybe, just maybe, these "Pokémon" creatures weren't all so bad, if he managed to stay away from those that were.

"What about you, Arceus?" Rayquaza asked at length. "Haven't _you_ abandoned your duties if you are here?"

"Do not worry. I assigned Mew and Celebi temporary charge. As my oldest and wisest children, they will make sure the meeting will continue as smoothly as it should."

* * *

A/N: For those of you wondering, no, Deoxys will not be a main character. This is actually his only appearance in the whole story. Reason for bringing him in? His situation allowed a perfect chance to introduce and build on the more important Legendaries of the story. With that aside, comments and criticism are greatly appreciated! ^-^

Next chapter? The Council meeting goes on, but Mew and Celebi decide to touch upon a different, more controversial topic that may very well endanger the human race.


	2. Proposition and Consequence

A/N: A small mistakes from the last chapter I forgot to correct: Deoxys, will in fact, have a bigger role later on in the story. After some revising of my outline, I managed to fit him in, and it helped smoothen out the plot.

Currently, I have four chapters of this story already posted on another site (PokemonElite2000), so that's why I'm updating quickly. I don't want the story at different chapters on different sites.

Note: I do not own Pokémon.

* * *

Chapter 2: Proposition and Consequence

For a while, silence reigned over Arceus' Chamber. The Legendaries looked at each other in mute shock before redirecting their gazes at the spot their father had disappeared from. None of them really thought that Deoxys was capable of such power, even when they considered the fact that he had survived a travel through space. To break through Mew's barrier (or obliterate it, as some of them saw it) was something only a select few could hope to manage. And then, they realized with a start, he had enough power still to hold his own against Rayquaza, the most ruthless of their brethren. It wasn't until the psychic remnants of Arceus' portal settled to the floor and disappeared that a deity finally spoke.

"That alien," Ho-Oh managed to say, his regal features stuck somewhere between fury and awe. "That alien…" She trailed off, not knowing how to put what just happened into words. Instead, Ho-Oh straightened and screeched to her kin, "See what this Deoxys is capable of?! He bypassed Mew's barrier, faced Rayquaza, and lived to tell about it!" Lugia quieted his sister and decided to continue the declaration in a calmer manner.

"Deoxys is powerful. Dare I say it, as powerful as some of us here. Now that we know what he's capable of, do we still want him on Earth?"

The trio master directed his last question towards Mew and Celebi, the only ones not gathered around the center. Now, though, both pixies rose into the air and hovered above their siblings. The creases in their brows and the firmness of their chins had not changed since Arceus named them the Council's temporary leaders.

"Do you not see?" Mew asked of his brothers and sisters with a slight shake of his head. "Did you not hear Arceus' words as he projected them to our minds? Deoxys' fate has already been sealed; Father decided upon having the alien join us as a Pokémon. Is there any use in foregoing this meaningless debate?"

None could deny Arceus' words just as no one could deny his fatherly nature. With what Deoxys had been through, Arceus was sure to treat him as his own child; even some of the Legends sympathized for Deoxys' wounds and shook their heads at their brother's horribly violent nature.

"Now," Celebi announced, stoic expression morphing into a satisfied smirk. "Mew and I have a more pressing matter to attend to, one that involves humans rather than Pokémon. I am, of course, talking about Purgatory."

With all eyes on her, the time manipulator ascended and seated herself on a pillar's top. Feeling very much like a queen upon her throne, she nonchalantly waved a hand in the air. "Purgatory, as we all know, is a world separate from our fair Heaven," Celebi motioned to the Hall of Origin, the center of the world above the clouds, "and from Earth."

As Mew joined Celebi at her side, Jirachi floated back towards the shadows and pursed her lips in disapproval. They were delivering their "proposal" as though reciting a script. Exactly for how long were they thinking about this?

"Purgatory," Mew continued, unaware of the wish granter's thoughts, "is used to hold human souls until their one-on-one Judgment with Arceus. Will they be reincarnated as humans, as Pokémon, forced to be the servants of Death's minions, allowed permanent residence in Heaven, or destroyed?"

_Mew's becoming playful,_ Jirachi noted, the pillars' shadows hiding her scowl. _Which means he's enjoying whatever they're planning._

"However, despite the efforts of Arceus, Death, and his Dusknoir guards," contempt rang when Mew mentioned the Grim Reaper then quickly disappeared, "too many souls are accumulated in the dimension, and with more and more humans dying in their Region War in Johto, souls are going to spend centuries in Purgatory. Those of sinful humans get worse, and those of the pure are stained by them."

"Our proposition," Celebi picked off before the Legendaries could speak, "is to destroy those sinful souls without Arceus' Judgment, thus sparing the pure and keeping Purgatory orderly."

Jirachi could feel her jaw dropping open in shock and outrage. Before she banish the surprise and react, Darkrai chuckled hollowly.

"I must say," he remarked, sounding as gleeful and snide as Celebi had moments ago. "That has to be the most remarkable idea either of you have ever proposed."

Cresselia frowned at the smile her counterpart wore. Their relationship had always been shaky, for their views conflicted since their creation, and now, she cocked her head with a cynical glare. "Enlighten me on exactly how this idea is so magnificent," she commanded dryly.

The Dark-type didn't miss the look. Instead of countering with his own, sarcastic remark, he spoke while motioning with his hands, "A sinful soul will always be a sinful human, even when their memories are wiped when reincarnated." It wasn't fact but merely his opinion. To his advantage, it was also Cresselia's, who always looked out for humanity to try and keep them all as pure as possible. "Do you want those sinful souls to be reincarnated again and again to plague towns and cities? If what Mew says is true, pure souls will turn sinful in Purgatory, which will just make this cycle deadlier."

The Lunar Pokémon, for the first time in a long while, could not find something in Darkrai's words to complain or correct. Cresselia tilted her head in thought until she finally found the words she was looking for. She agreed with everything he said, but that didn't mean she had to admit it so bluntly. "There might be truth to your words, Darkrai," she carefully said (Cresselia saw the Pitch-Black Pokémon give an all-knowing grin). "But how do we go about deciding which souls have sinned? Arceus has been the solve giver of Judgments since time began."

Again Jirachi opened her mouth to speak, and again her chance was snatched away.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ho-Oh asked loudly, slightly annoyed. "Mew and Celebi have already thought about that. They are the ones who are going to make those extra Judgments. Arceus is likely to say yes, seeing as how they are his first created."

"Do you have any other candidates in mind?" Mew offered, arms crossed.

The phoenix chuckled and shook her head. "No I don't, so you don't have to get off your pedestal. As long as you don't get rid of half of Purgatory's population at once, I have no qualms."

"Yes," Cresselia agreed. "As long as the sinning souls are disposed of with no mass wipeout, I suspect that this will be very beneficial."

"Sounds good, sounds good," Manaphy chorused, no longer quiet now that the majority of the Legendaries agreed. She admired her older brothers and sisters and trusted their judgment more than her own.

"Enough! Absolutely not!" Jirachi finally cried, her long, butterscotch tassels billowing behind her like flames when she soared to the center of the chamber. Jirachi locked her eyes with Mew and Celebi (both unaffected by the dragger-like glare) and then to the rest of the Council. "You are proposing to _destroy_ souls, what Arceus reserves only for the truly horrible, to simply stop them from mingling with the ones you consider pure?! We cannot, will not, resort to a holocaust because of bias."

The dual-type looked over to Shaymin, who was staring up at her with wide, green eyes. Jirachi's confidence waned at the sight. Yes, her Grass-type friend was shy and timid when among the oldest Legendaries, but she still expected her to back her up. Still, Jirachi's determined voice rang when she demanded, "Do you, Shaymin, also see that this is not the way to fix Purgatory? That this is a crazy notion!"

Though her snow-white face hid it well, the Gratitude Pokémon blanched. Shell-shocked, her stare automatically went to the two Legends running the show. Mew and Celebi simultaneously raised brows, challenging the smallest of their siblings to defy them. Their cold, stony expressions made Shaymin shirk back. They were centuries older than her, and every wise and powerful year shone in their narrowed eyes. Young and inexperienced as she was, was it smart to speak against them?

"Shaymin…"

Turning, the hedgehog met Jirachi's amber eyes. It wasn't the betrayal in them that stung her heart but the plead that laid in their depths. To see Jirachi so vulnerable and knowing she was the cause was too much for Shaymin to bear. She guiltily lowered her eyes and said nothing.

"I will inform Arceus of our decision, then," Mew announced. "Sinned souls will be Judged and disposed off in an orderly manner to bring order to Purgatory." He paused and glanced at the chamber's occupants. "This meeting is over. Thank you all for your time."

Shaymin looked up, an apology forming on her lips, but Jirachi had already teleported away without a simple farewell.

_____

Jirachi had never been one for violence, but the moment she got away from Heaven, she wanted to slam her fist against a wall again and again until it crumbled. Frustration, betrayal, and anger coursed through her veins like white fire, making the two wish tags on her headdress tremble. Fisting her hands, the Legend took a couple of deep breaths and calmed down. She was not Rayquaza or Ho-Oh, who resorted to violence when faced with blood-boiling situations. Jirachi was calm, level-headed, and dealt with problems in a rational manner.

With that mindset, the Steel-type looked around her, slightly comforted by the cave she called home sweet home. But again, she didn't want to wallow in her emotions. There was a half-formed plan weaving in between her thoughts, one that she would have called desperate at any other time, and going through with it might help solve this mess. Jirachi flew past the glowing, green crystals embedded in the rocky walls, past the trickle of water that filled the small pond at the center of her home, and to the forest outside. Flying through the tree canopies that hid the cave entrance, she hovered at the edge of the thick forest.

Morning was breaking on the horizon, but the cluster of trees and their leafy foliage blocked out the thin rays of growing sunlight. The giant, deathly-still grass was covered in shadows as dark as the nearly-black trunks of the trees. Somewhere among all of the plants, there were Bug Pokémon; she could hear their morning chatter all around, like a never-ending symphony that did not want to be found. If the overgrown canopies didn't cast enough of a shadow, the mountain in which her home was carved into blanketed the area in velvet-black.

"I'll be back," she told the forest and its unseen singers. A small part of her didn't even want to go. It would be so easy to just go along with the rest of the Legends' decision.

Then Jirachi remembered the conniving glint in Mew and Celebi's eyes and dismissed the ridiculous idea.

She breathed in the smell of oak and rot before holding her short hands before her. Jirachi called upon every star, every moon, and every galaxy hidden behind the sun's glare into the tips of her fingers. Power she had only wielded a handful of times flooded into her palms, lighting them up like miniature suns. Closing her eyes, the psychic envisioned the invisible veil that separated Earth from her destination. With the celestial energy in her hands, she brushed her fingers against the air and could feel the barrier. She felt death, sin, and the purity of all the souls that had passed from this world to the next. Goosebumps rose all along her arms; her wish tags stood on end.

Jirachi moved her hands counterclockwise, tracing a circle to carefully undo the seams of the barrier. Although her ability to manipulate space allowed her to do so, the barrier still fought her, screaming, _You are not Death! You are not his servants! Why do you wish to enter, stranger?_ But she kept on until she had completed the portal and left her home to enter Purgatory.

"I will not be long," she told the portal. Through the beads of sweat that trickled down her forehead and into her eyes, she saw the tattered edges of the veil flapping, revealing and obscuring the forest scenery on the other side. With some flicks of her wrist, the edges slithered to the center of the opening and wound around themselves until only the light of Earth could be seen through the cracks. Though it was safer, she dared not completely close it; what if she was too tired to create a new portal after her business was taken cared of?

It wasn't until she was sure that the gap between Purgatory and Earth was strong enough to keep souls and Pokémon out yet weak enough for someone of her power to re-open it without too much trouble that she noticed the odd sheen of red on her hands. Startled, she turned them but found it wasn't blood. When the glow was seen on her abdomen and legs, Jirachi was quick enough to figure out that the source of color was coming from up above.

A scarlet and orange sky greeted her to this strange and new dimension. The wisps of gray that never seemed to move did nothing to remind her of the sky on Earth. Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs of gloom from her thoughts, Jirachi looked at either side of her. To her right, she saw a mountain range that she could not help but compare to Rayquaza's fangs: sharp and a blood-stained garnet. Beneath the landmarks, there was nothing but barren fields of hard, cracked earth.

While the scene on the left wasn't much better, there was some kind of spiral that reached for the sky. The hesitant Pokémon took off in that direction, knowing from talks with Arceus that Death lived in a tower of some sort. The flight was dreary and tedious, as there was nothing to see except mile after mile of desolate land. Once or twice, she could have sworn that she saw a human walking below her, but upon a second glance, the wandering soul was gone like the nonexistent wind in Purgatory. As though to reassure her that she wasn't going crazy, she spotted Dusclops guards every couple of minutes. Their gray, stocky bodies stuck out like sore thumbs over the yellow plains.

_At least they're always there in case I need directions,_ she couldn't help but think tartly. She had spent less than an hour in Purgatory and already the scenery (or lack thereof) annoyed her to no end. She loved lush, secluded forests and the freeness of outer space, not this dimension that made her feel as though she was trapped in some twisted, frozen hourglass.

With no warning, the flat desert beneath her dipped to form a large and deep valley. Here, she saw souls, all of them in the guises of the humans they once were, walking around the village hidden in the deep bowl of earth. Jirachi, startled by the sight of the wooden houses, complete with fences, gardens, and mailboxes, stopped dead in her tracks. If it wasn't for the gruesome sky, the parched terrain, and the Dusclops guards and their servants around every corner, she would have thought she had accidentally taken a wrong turn and ended up back on Earth. Things like leisure conversations going on in the streets and kids playing in their yards could be seen everywhere. They had work buildings, churches, and schools (all of them worn and weather-beaten as though they had been taken straight from their places on Earth) to allow them to live life as they would have before their deaths. The souls didn't even seem to see the guards or the world they lived in as they went about their "lives."

All of it boggled the Legendary's mind until she focused on the tower at the far end of the valley. Flying above houses and buildings, she reached the odd structure. With stones a decaying gray, it started normally enough with a thick, wooden door built into the cylindrical base. When she slowly flew up, the tower veered off to the right, then to the left, then back again like a drunken serpent. In the process, the tower walls ranged from missing some bricks to having nothing but the twisting, stone stairwell inside. Jirachi shot towards the room on the tower's tip, which was curiously enough intact (even the pointed roof had most of its dusty-red shingles). Dodging the bricks that had decided to separate from the walls and stairwell to float around, she perched on the sole window of the room. Unsure of how to announce her presence, she tried knocking on the stone, but when she heard the knock was quieter than a pin drop, Jirachi decided to call out into the dark room.

"Hello?" she tried. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Death, but I need to urgently talk to you. It's of grave importance."

There was no answer. Jirachi leaned in, squinting against the overwhelming gloom that covered every inch of the place. Other than a faint, metallic glint in one of the walls, there was nothing but black, black, and more black.

"Hello?" the Legendary repeated, more hesitant than ever.

Again, only silence answered. Putting a hand against the window's edge and the other on her forehead, Jirachi mentally slapped herself for her stupidity. It hadn't even crossed her mind that Death might be out collecting souls or attending pressing matters in other parts of Purgatory. She might be waiting for weeks, even months, for him to return; she could already imagine countless souls destroyed by that time.

"Yes?"

With a yelp, Jirachi jumped back from the Pokémon that suddenly materialized in her face. Almost tripping on her tassels, she gripped the side of the window and straightened herself with as much dignity as someone who had just been scared senseless could muster.

"Good day," she greeted the phantom inside the room. The red eye centered in his cylindrical head narrowed as the three silver spikes on either side of his neck flared out; he was not happy. He rose higher into the air, exposing his rotund, dark gray stomach and the golden zigzag on it that stretched into a frown. Getting a glare from both his ruby eye and the two yellow ones on his abdomen, Jirachi decided to square her shoulders and respond with her own, firm look.

"Death," Jirachi addressed the Dusknoir. "I have something urgent to discuss with you. It has to do with something the Council of Legends agreed upon no more than a few hours ago. I-"

"I have no interest in talking with you, Jirachi," Death told her. He turned and flapped a thick, gray hand to her as parting. "Good day to you, too," he added sarcastically.

Jirachi grinded her teeth at the slap to the face. She was not going to tolerate another dismissal. Soaring into the room after him, she pointed a finger at the ghost's back and barked, "Death, this is a serious matter that cannot be ignored!" When he did not turn, the space wielder ordered in a booming yell, "Halt and face me, Death! Do not walk away from a Legend!"

The Ghost-type obeyed, though his grinning eye and the short laugh that echoed from deep within his stomach still taunted her. "Jirachi, you have no right to call yourself a Legend while Purgatory is in this state. Do you see forests and meadows from where Shaymin has blessed the land with her power? Are there any stars that you and Cresselia have put or any oceans that Lugia has brought forth with his rains? You and your ilk are just hatchlings with power."

"This is not Earth," the dual-type hotly responded.

"The souls that reside here think it is," was the reply. Dusknoir approached her, only to pass by and peer out the window. Jirachi turned and looked on from behind, watching the wandering dots below. "There are houses and buildings to try and simulate their past lives on Earth. We have even created illusions of a soul's family and loved ones to fool them further. Throughout their stay, they believe they have never left Earth. In this manner, when their time to be Judged finally comes, they will be as though they barely moved on. Or so, that was the plan."

Here, he glanced at her, sadness softening his glare. "Eventually, some notice the lack of weather, of changing seasons, and life beyond them. Eventually, they come to realize that this is not Earth and that they have died. They call it 'Hell' and make their way out of their settlements and into the open land. Most of the time, my guards manage to return them and enchant them anew. Other times, souls are lost in the harsh vastness of Purgatory. Of course, when their Judgment comes, Arceus always manages to find them. By that time, they have wallowed in their ill discoveries for many long years, however."

Entranced by the oblivious souls, Jirachi shook her head and sighed. "I never knew that. I always thought… Never imagined…" She trailed off, shook her head at her own folly, and turned to the melancholy reaper. Death began to wander back into the room, which Jirachi now saw was bare for anything but a scythe hanging on a wall; it's curved blade had been the shine she had seen earlier.

"I came here to help, Death," she began again, drifting a few steps behind him. "The Council of Legends, or rather, Mew and Celebi, intend to steadily wipe out those souls they think of as sinned; they believe Purgatory is too crowded and unorganized. I am afraid that Arceus will agree to this because they are his oldest children and thus, the wisest. Is there anything you can say or do to prevent this?" Her voice had dropped an octave when she began her plead. "It seems that I'm the only one who objects, and my voice goes ignored without anybody else's to aid me. I have no doubt in mind that this will end badly for the human race."

Death's eye narrowed. "It's true that Purgatory becomes crowded, and with other settlements besides this one spread throughout the dimension. Dusknoir guards are only used to make sure no rips in the barrier occur and to keep the souls in their proper areas. They do not have the power that I do, the power to lay enchantments needed to raise the land for a new settlement. I would create many more if my job of collecting souls did not drain my power and time. Even now, though I'm here, I can do nothing more than teleport."

Jirachi raised a hopeful brow. "So if a Legendary was able to have your powers, this crisis could be solved? With more homes and room for the souls, could we avoid this looming catastrophe?"

With a sigh that was half sad, half frustrated, the ghost laid a hand on the hanging scythe and said, "I'm sorry, but I do not trust a Legendary to wield this power. Purgatory is my domain, and I will rule it only beside a being who will follow my orders and nobody else's. They need to be loyal, trustworthy, and most of all, understand the true value of power and responsibility." Death traced the two, v-shaped cuts engraved on the edge of the scythe's blade then ran his fingers down the four-foot-long ebony handle. "I have this made and waiting for the soul that I deem worthy to be all of that, but no one of that nature has come."

Deflated, the space Legendary asked, "Is that the only way you would be able to prevent this mess?"

"There's nothing else I can do. The Council has made up its mind." When Death saw Jirachi lean against the wall, drained from everything she had to endure that day, he floated up to her. "Is there anybody else who disagrees with this?"

The Psychic-type looked up, surprised to see Death sympathetically staring down at her. She only answered with a mumbled, "I'm sure that Shaymin shares my opinion; I could see it in her eyes, but she's much too timid to talk against Mew and Celebi." The harsh thorn of betrayal dug into her heart.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that there are truly Legendaries out there who are not wrapped up in their own issues, even if they do not speak out," the Grim Reaper admitted. At the smile she heard weaving through his words, Jirachi faced him again and realized he wasn't as cold as she previously thought. The face on Death's stomach didn't seem as angry, and that harsh shine to his eye was gone. "I apologize for assuming you were one."

As much as the words chased away the ill feeling of betrayal, Jirachi dismissed them with a weak wave of her hand. "You were right to assume. Like you said, look at this place! No stars, no moon, no atmosphere, all of the things I could have created centuries ago are absent. It's my responsibility to take care of Pokémon and humans alike, even when Earth is no longer their home, and I did not uphold to my duties."

"It's never too late to start," Death advised. "You can still give Purgatory and its residents all of that."

"But first I have to sort Mew and Celebi's mess out!" she cut in, again anxious. Jirachi now hovered above him and glanced out the tower's window. "No matter what it takes."

"What do you plan to do?" Death probed. He unhooked the scythe from the wall and began to skillfully swing it about. It was a habit he had formed over the past century. The paranoia that the perfect assistant would come yet the scythe would be dull and powerless, unable to be used, haunted him like a nightmare. As he inspected the ivory skull nestled at the top, Jirachi looked away from the hollowed, pitch-black eye sockets.

"Talk to Arceus about alternate ways to improve Purgatory's state," she answered. "Either he wasn't aware of what we Legends can do for this dimension or he neglected to mention it, he _will_ listen. He might also be willing to help with finding you an assistant." Jirachi bowed and said, "Thank you for your help."

The reaper met her eyes. "Go fulfill your duty, Legend." He closed his eye and nodded towards her. "Though I am powerless, I feel not all is lost for the souls in Purgatory."

_His version of a compliment,_ Jirachi realized with a small smirk.

With a wave, the psychic flew out the window. When her tassels fluttered out of sight, Death took one last look at his scythe and placed it back on its hook on the wall. He was sure that one day, it would be in hands other than his own. Until then, he would rule over Purgatory with nobody but his shadow at his side.

_____

Sitting on the ledge of a mountain so much more different than the one back home, Jirachi could see the Purgatory village in the distance. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the faint glow of power that kept the barrier rip from opening. It was so close, but in a way, it was so far from her grasp.

With a short flight, she could be back on Earth, in her cave, or soaring through the skies to find Arceus.

Yet something compelled her to stay.

Jirachi glanced at the ruby and orange sky and couldn't help but compare it to a melancholy sunset. With the clouds never moving and the harsh glare forever beating down on the hardened plains, she truly wondered whether this dimension was frozen in time. Leaning back, she immediately straightened when she felt the sharp rocks protruding from the mountain's rocky, garnet surface.

"This is so different from Heaven and Earth," she thought aloud.

What must it feel like to look up and see no moon or sun? That, more than anything, made Jirachi shiver. Didn't these souls deserve the same world as the souls in Heaven? Didn't they have the right to live under a cluster of stars and a joyous sun just as those deemed worthy enough to live in an internal paradise did?

_Yes,_ she answered her question. _Yes they do._

"Where have you been hidden?" Jirachi asked the forsaken world. "I could have helped sooner."

"You! Up there!"

The wish granter grasped the edge of the ledge and looked down. Ten-feet below was the madly waving figure of a male soul. When the Pokémon just continued to stare, he jumped up and down and resumed his shouting.

"You! Legend! There's something you need to know!"

"What is it?" Jirachi questioned, coming down. "And how did you kn-?"

"Never mind that!" the man shouted. His adjusted his collapsing top hat over his sandy-brown hair. Everything from his suit, dark dress pants, and polished shoes were covered in a fine layer of yellow dust (Jirachi even had to wonder if brown was his natural hair color). If he had been alive, he would have been huffing and puffing. His semi-translucent form and the fact that that he was in Purgatory told the Legendary he was a soul, and because of that, the stranger kept on talking in the same anxious tone without a hitch to his breath. "My friend is in trouble! I don't know where he is!"

"Be calm, be calm," the Steel-type told him. "Where was your friend sighted last?"

"Celebi and Mew took him!" the being cried, ignoring her words. Jirachi stiffened at the names and began to demand where this had happened, but the silver-eyed man (for all souls lost their eye color when they passed on) was too caught up to stop. "They just took him! I knew they were coming back for me, so I high-tailed it!"

"Where did-?" the Legend started to say but was cut off. Déjà vu settled into her; hadn't she been interrupted enough today?

"I'm lucky to have made it this far! I saw no Dusclops guards anywhere…"

"But where did this take pl-!"

"… They might be behind me as we speak! I swear that-!"

Uneasy and nervous to the point of trembling, Jirachi snapped and took hold of the soul by his shirt collar, screaming in his face, "For the love of Arceus, from where was your friend taken?!"

The soul clamped his mouth shut and obediently pointed to another small range of mountains behind him. He was then unceremoniously dropped to the dirt when Jirachi took off towards the bloodied needles, her psychic aura brimming with ferocity.

* * *

A/N: First of all, thank you for commenting, Mystik Shadows. :)

And meet another very important character of the story: Death. Jirachi and Death's discussion turned out very different than I had expected, as well the revelation of the scythe and Purgatory itself. I'm very happy how it came out. I just hope I don't stray too much from the outline I already have. xD

There's a pun in there, if somebody can spot it. :p

What it's in store for next chapter? A very dangerous fight and maybe (depending how the chapter turns out) the entrance of a main character.


End file.
